Martha, with her family, shares the story of her daughter, Chantel Moore.
Martha’s advocacy was influential in the formation of VicPD’s Co-Response Team (CRT), launched two years ago, which pairs police officers with mental health professionals to improve responses to incidents in the community that involve a mental health component. Martha presented the VicPD and RCMP Westshore CRTs, and Chief Manak, with a yellow dress pin she made in honour of her daughter. The pin is Martha’s way to keep her daughter’s memory alive; it symbolizes compassion, and she says it’s a reminder that we can set aside differences and work together.
Martha speaks to the Co-Response Teams about the importance of their work.
Martha Martin pins the yellow dress on Chief Del Manak in recognition of his leadership in establishing the VicPD Co-Response Team.
Martha said that VicPD’s commitment gives her hope that changes can be made, and that it demonstrates the positive impact of collaborative efforts between police and mental health clinicians in responding together to calls. Chief Del Manak says that the establishment of the CRT shows what is possible when police and community work together to make positive change, noting that there are better outcomees for individuals who need help.
The yellow dress pin honouring the memory of Chantel Moore.
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About VicPD’s Co-Response Team In January 2023, VicPD and Island Health launched the Co-Response Team (CRT) to address calls involving mental health issues. This program pairs a registered mental health clinician with a police officer to respond together to calls in Victoria and Esquimalt from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. The CRT complements existing mental health response teams like the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams, the Integrated Mobile Crisis Response Team (IMCRT), and the peer-led, non-police community-based Peer Assisted Care Teams (PACT). VicPD officers in the CRT have specialized training in trauma-informed approaches and de-escalation. They work with mental health specialists to assess situations and decide on appropriate actions, including community-based referrals or emergency interventions. The CRT has positively impacted the community by freeing up Patrol resources and ensuring immediate access to mental health support, which allows officers to return to the road to respond to 911 calls for service more quickly. Learn more: Island Health and VicPD Launch Co-Response Team - VicPD.ca